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Pocket Knives


Subdeacon Joe

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Interesting read.

THE KIND OF MEN WHO CARRY A POCKET KNIFE

 

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Less than 40 years have passed and I am astonished to see how the times have changed since my father bought this knife for me as just a small boy. I do still have it, which by today’s standards is an anomaly. I’ll leave the discussion of our throwaway culture for another time.




Yes, this pocket knife has witnessed many changes in our society. Technology, communication, transportation, and even education have dramatically changed from the way it was just a generation ago. My pocket knife and I are neither quite certain if all the changes have been for the good. When I look across the landscape of America and take note of the differences, the greatest change that I see is in the people themselves.

 

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I needed to meet that guy.

 

I no longer loan my knife, as I have found that most people that do not carry a knife of their own, will abuse the hell out of one you loan them.

 

So if he asked me if he could borrow a knife, I would tell him truthfully that I had no knife he could borrow. And he would quickly reach into his pocket and give me one. :D

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Been carrying the same "Old Timer" for well over fifty years. When I used to dress for the office. I carried a small Swiss Army knife. I usually have two blades on me, the Old Timer and a Buck utility tool or Leatherman. But there are always more nearby. There is one in the door of my truck, there are three in the briefcase I used to take to work, there are numerous ones in drawers around the house and then there are the blades that I have on the side of one safe and inside the other.

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I got my first knife at age 8. I have always had one since.

 

Today and for the past 30 years I have 3 blades on me whenever I leave the house and at home there is always a “favorite” knife within reaching distance.  I have many “favorites”. Each a favorite for different reasons. 

 

I also have a multi-tool nearby at all times.

 

I do not know how anyone could not have a pocket knife handy.

 

Honestly, I do not trust anyone that doesn’t carry a knife to be handy in any way. I sure as hell do not loan them mine.

 

I have given away dozens of knives in my lifetime. It’s my favorite gift to give to folks. Some say giving a knife is “bad luck”. Not me.

 

 

edited because I made a bad statement 

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I carry 2, a little one and a bigger one, any time I leave the house.  There's enough knives in drawers on on end tables around here that I don't have to carry one in the house.

 

I've quit letting folks borrow knives.  People tend to get 'Not Mine' syndrome and screw up a perfectly good knife if allowed.

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Got my first pocket knife when I was 8, and my first sheath knife when I was 12 and went to Boy Scout camp. Carried a knife since I was 8 even to school. We all did. You can't play  mumbildy peg with out a pen knife. Sorry about the spelling.

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9 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

.......

I do not know how anyone could not have a pocket knife handy.

 

Honestly, I do not trust anyone that doesn’t carry a knife to be handy in any way. I sure as hell do not loan them mine.

 

I have given away dozens of knives in my lifetime. It’s my favorite gift to give to folks. Some say giving a knife is “bad luck”. Not me.

 

 

 

 

I was always taught that you gifted a knife with a penny.  The penny was so the receiver could "pay" for the knife.  That prevented the gift from severing the friendship.

 

I know a lot of folks that work in gov't buildings.  It's hard to keep a knife handy when security keeps taking them away. ;)  Gets expensive, too.  

 

Angus

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19 minutes ago, Black Angus McPherson said:

 

I was always taught that you gifted a knife with a penny.  The penny was so the receiver could "pay" for the knife.  That prevented the gift from severing the friendship.

 

I know a lot of folks that work in gov't buildings.  It's hard to keep a knife handy when security keeps taking them away. ;)  Gets expensive, too.  

 

Angus

I like that. I will have to remember that in the future. 

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I too have carried a pocket knife from about grade 4 or 5. Most everyday except for the time I was in Navy boot camp. I had a little 2 bladed pen knife and they would not let me keep it, they did at least let me send it home. When someone asks me if I have a knife I always ask what they need it for. If it is to cut something and I know them I might let them use it. If it is to be used as a screwdriver or to pry something then I say no.

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I don't have a knife in the pocket of my bathrobe, but that's about it.
Always have at least one, usually 2, Opinels in my pocket.  Have a Swiss Army Card in one pocket of my cassock (a good corkscrew in the other).  I have an Old Timer that I carry from time to time.

Lord knows how many knives I've lost.  

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I got my first knife at age 6. I have carried one  ever since, even in school. After cutting myself several times with pocket knives that weren't lock blades, I seldom carry anything else but a lock blade.

 

"My wife says I am the only one who has a knife in his lounge wear and "comfys". I 'll bet she's wrong. "

 

I'm sitting at the computer wearing a tee shirt and a pair of lounge pants. I have a plastic handled SOG lock blade that is 2 3/4" OAL and has a blade with a 1 3/4" cutting edge clipped into my pocket. I'll bet it doesn't weigh much more that an ounce or two. It's a handy little critter. :)

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21 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I got my first knife at age 8. I have always had one since.

 

Today and for the past 30 years I have 3 blades on me whenever I leave the house and at home there is always a “favorite” knife within reaching distance.  I have many “favorites”. Each a favorite for different reasons. 

 

I also have a multi-tool nearby at all times.

 

I do not know how anyone could not have a pocket knife handy.

 

Honestly, I do not trust anyone that doesn’t carry a knife to be handy in any way. I sure as hell do not loan them mine.

 

I have given away dozens of knives in my lifetime. It’s my favorite gift to give to folks. Some say giving a knife is “bad luck”. Not me.

 

 

edited because I made a bad statement 

 

Social changes forced me to stop carrying a knife to work.  Every courthouse, and some office buildings, now have metal detectors and/or wands in use.  Knives are forbidden in most public buildings, or must be surrendered upon entry and picked up on departure.  Airlines....well, we all know what happens when you show up at check-in with a blade.  It's become too much of a burden.  

 

LL

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Just now, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

Social changes forced me to stop carrying a knife to work.  Every courthouse, and some office buildings, now have metal detectors and/or wands in use.  Knives are forbidden in most public buildings, or must be surrendered upon entry and picked up on departure.  Airlines....well, we all know what happens when you show up at check-in with a blade.  It's become too much of a burden.  

 

LL

Oh, yes, I know about this as well. Not as much as you have to deal with, I am sure.

Luckily, that doesn’t seem to be a concern where I work now but in a prior job it was a pain.

 

Hint: The Victorinox Classic SD mini pocket knife gets through nearly every office / building metal detector I have encountered provided you remove all other metal from your pockets.

Unfortunately, if it fails the test you lose the knife, but if caught it is not big enough to be of concern. 

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As my friends got older, I would give them an "Old Timer" pocket knife when they hit 40.

 

Dusty Rogers came to the first Missouri State Championship that was held in Branson, down the hillside from the Shepherd of the Hills Theater.  I'm ashamed to admit I don't remember the exact year (had to be around 2000), but Dusty was celebrating a birthday that October 28, while the match was in progress.  He was past 40 so I gave him an Old Timer at the match.  I talked with him at the Branson Triple Clasic match last year, and he said he still had it.

 

IMG-9592.thumb.JPG.c398c0c9c76b3bc914727b8c26de597c.JPG

 

 

These days I'm packing a Swiss Army knife.  The built-in toothpick gets used about 3 times a day.

 

 

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6 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

Social changes forced me to stop carrying a knife to work.  Every courthouse, and some office buildings, now have metal detectors and/or wands in use.  Knives are forbidden in most public buildings, or must be surrendered upon entry and picked up on departure.  Airlines....well, we all know what happens when you show up at check-in with a blade.  It's become too much of a burden.  

 

LL

 

Back before 9/11, I went to work, checked my calendar and saw that I had jury duty that day IN 1/2 HOUR! Mind you, this was in Southern California. I took off for the courthouse and made it in time. Well, I had been on juries a number of times at this court and this was the first time that there were metal detectors for packages and briefcases. As my briefcase (a soft backpack style) went through the detector, the deputy observing the screen told the deputy at the end that there was a knife in the briefcase. The deputy at the end informed me that they would hold the knife for me until the end of jury duty (again - pre 9/11 days). So I gave him a knife. Since he only asked for one, I gave him one. He did not ask for the leatherman, the large swiss army knife nor the credit card multi tool with a blade that were all in my briefcase. :rolleyes:

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I typically have 3 pocket knives on me at any given time except for flying and the rare occasion I have to go in a court house.  The three I carry daily are all Swiss Army.  One is a money clip, not much to carry there, the other two are ballast.  One is my daily user and the other has my vehicle ID tag and a shopper card.  I could consolidate but they are small and don't take up much space.  Weekends I add a Leatherman of one sort or another.  Sometimes I add a Barlow knife just for fun.

 

Speaking of airport confiscations, I bought a online auction lot of knives taken at the airport.  Many, many Swiss Army knives, the little pocket ones.   Some Victorinox and some Wegner.   There were a few off brand multi-tools, a few Swiss Army that I looked up to be actually of some collectors value and one Swiss Army that was a Tiffany knife.  Has silver scales on it.  That one knife is worth more than I paid for the whole lot.  I give them away routinely.  If you ever had one taken in Madison, WI,  I probably have it.  The really used up ones I stripped down for parts.  I'll never run out of scissor spring, tooth pick and tweezers.

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I can’t imagine being without a knife. I was so happy when Colorado finally legalized auto openers a few years ago.

 

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14 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

I can’t imagine being without a knife. I was so happy when Colorado finally legalized auto openers a few years ago.

 

 

Oh, but to live in a free state.....

  • No auto openers, assisted openers or switchblades;
  • No butterfly knives;
  • No stillettos, dirks or double edged blades.

Sooner or later, we'll all be carrying rounded tip scissors.....

 

LL

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I carry a leatherman multi-tool daily in a hip holster. Have carried one of them for years starting when I got back onto forklifts. Came in real handy opening boxes or breaking them down or when I needed a quick screw driver to tighten something. Only kick I have about them is they don't hold an edge very well:rolleyes::blush:

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6 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

Oh, but to live in a free state.....

  • No auto openers, assisted openers or switchblades;
  • No butterfly knives;
  • No stillettos, dirks or double edged blades.

Sooner or later, we'll all be carrying rounded tip scissors.....

 

 

Kitchen knives in the UK will now have rounded tips so  they can't be used as stabbing implements.

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11 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

Oh, but to live in a free state.....

  • No auto openers, assisted openers or switchblades;
  • No butterfly knives;
  • No stillettos, dirks or double edged blades.

Sooner or later, we'll all be carrying rounded tip scissors.....

 

LL

And it'll be A felony to run with them

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Close to twenty years ago, in addition to my accounting duties I was the de facto "IT Guy" at work.  And since I would often be called upon to serve as such at any time, I usually carried a multi-tool on my belt - a Gerber, with the "flick opening" pliers.

 

So one day I'm tooling on down the hallway when some female snowflake type coming in the opposite direction finally notices the black nylon sheath.  Eyes popped, jaw dropped, then she pointed and shrieked "O MY GAWD!  Is that a KNIFE??"  surprised.gif

 

Good Lord.

 

A few nearby folk looked on curiously, as I met this woman's shocked gaze.

 

Calmly and slowly, I extracted the device from it's sheath and flicked my wrist.  The tool went "SNICK!" and the 'flake's eyes and mouth opened wider.

 

"Nope." I said, and held it aloft for her to see.  "It's a pair of pliers.  The same one I used when I fixed your computer this morning."

 

Of course I didn't show her the multiple blades.  But she probably could have related to the handy-dandy file - just the thing for a broken fingernail!  :rolleyes:

 

The other folks just shook their heads and went about their business.  

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On ‎9‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 9:12 PM, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

That sounds like a Rick Bragg article.  A great writer of our time. 

 

You're right, Charlie.  It does sound like something Bragg would write.  My favorite book of his was The Prince of Frogtown.  I need to read more of his work.

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When I know I'll need to do some cutting outdoors I take my two-bladed Buck. Had it for a lot of years. Had to go on ebay to get another as back up.  My new favorite daily pocketknife is the NRA I got for renewing my membership. 

IMG_20191004_041103988.jpg

IMG_20191004_041121339.jpg

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Have carried a pocket knife since I was very young.  My first was a little 2 blade pocketknife that the larger blade had broken (dont know how, it was an old knife when I got it), but it still had a little inch long blade.  When I had proved that I could responsibly have that without bleeding myself too badly, "Santa" would bring better pocketknives.  I carried a small pocketknife to highschool with me in the '80's.

 

I am never without at least one.  My standard EDC is a Spyderco Dragonfly.  Small enough to not be an issue in my pocket, but good enough for most anything I need it for.  I have gotten some looks when I whip it out to cut my lunch from the more light of heart (and mind) people at work.  Of course it doesn't help when I notice them staring so I (carefully) lick the blade and put it back in my pocket :rolleyes:

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